How to minimize network bandwidth usage

kking

Honorable
Jan 3, 2013
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10,510
Hello,
We run a small school and one of our campus sites is quite remote and our internet provider chares big dollars for internet downloads.

One of our classes has just been upgraded to run over the internet and involves downloading 6Gig of video each time it is run. This will cost us approximatly $15 for each student and we have hunreds of student. We provide computers for this course work.

QUETION - is there a product we can install on the computers which will cache some of the content and help us minimize our use of internet bandwicth??
 

kking

Honorable
Jan 3, 2013
4
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10,510


Hello,
The video is on the internet. As part of our program, our students have to log into a safety course hosted by another organization and do an 8 hour online training session. Every student has to do this module during their training with us. We have been advised by this orgaization that their new program contains 6Gig of content.

The campus is in a remote location and the computer lab is 4 computers in a Britco trailer, with few ammenities.

I dont think a media server is an option, as for one thing, we dont 'own' the content.
 

kking

Honorable
Jan 3, 2013
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10,510
The new program is strictly online. No more DVD. Up to the end of 2012 we did this VIA DVD.

Not sure what we are looking for...just some way not to have to download 6 Gig every time we run the program for a new student. I was thinking content caching, but not sure how to do that at the PC level.
 

sato112

Honorable
Jan 7, 2013
12
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10,510
You might want to look into other service providers that will give unlimited upload and download for say as that would be a cheaper solution in the long run. But this of course depends on the country you are in. Or even buy the content from that company?
 

Sizomu

Distinguished
Feb 7, 2011
7
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18,510


have a Proxy Server with squid installed that will cache the content. you might need to configure the Squid.conf file to suite your needs. Squid is a web caching software that helps minimize network usage, it will store most used content and share it locally, with out your ISP being involved.

BUT!...... you need:
- A Dedicated machine (Running Linux > Ubuntu Server) with 2 NIC. (1 incoming, 1 outgoing)
- Install Squid3, configure Iptables (to route all Http data to 1 port)
- configure squid3 to cache large objects.

My Set-up:
- G520 1.6Ghz , 4GB RAM, 320GB HD. With 2 NIC (1 Onboard: Connect to Internet, 1 Intel NIC: Connected to the Switch)
- Installed = OS: Ubuntu Server 12.04 64bit, Squid3
- so if Any of the LAN PC's visits a website or downloads a package(smaller than 15MB in my case), its cached so that the next Visitor doesn't use the net, just gets it from the Ubuntu machine.
I am having difficulties to cache Youtube Videos, but its possible.

Hope this Helps
 

MMkalwani

Reputable
Dec 15, 2014
2
0
4,510
Hi,

Why didn't you add cachebox in a network. It will saves upto 30-40 % of bandwidth from network. A Cachebox is a perfect solution to saves bandwidth of your network and increases your downloading speed.Its' a hardware tool which increases the web speed in a LAN Network. And it is used for the saving bandwidth.Cachebox stores content in its memory and delivers content to user Via Local area Network (LAN) and brings content closer to end users and delivers a number of real benefits to you. For details you can visit this website- http://goo.gl/Sv3CU9